Flight delay compensation, all other EU airlines

JPears

If you have looked at the other options and nothing is convenient they should refund you and compensation as they have given you less than 7/14 days notice.
However what alternative options do you have re flights? If its with another airline, TAP should re-route you on that, at their expense. And still pay compensation if the alternatives are much later.

peter_333

Alternative flights to London City will all be indirect, and all options (whether with TAP or other carries) would either depart early enough or arrive late enough to still qualify for compensation. The only exception to this seems to be connecting flights combos split across multiple carries and multiple tickets, which I assume TAP wouldn't do.

Alternative flights to London Heathrow, operated by TAP, are available and within "acceptable" hours (e.g. not qualified for compensation) but as stated before, they are not only supremely inconvenient for me in comparison to London City, but I could also have bought these flights originally and saved money.

My understanding is that as Heathrow still serves London, the airport swap would disallow any claim for compensation under EU regulations. Correct?

JPears

No, I don't think one could justify Heathro and London City as the sam airport/town.
They are at least 90 minutes apart. Thats like saying Leeds Bradford and Manchester, or Newcastle or Liverpool are the same destination - all 90 minutes away.

Mkevinb

HI,
New to all this.
I recently booked a trip to Florence with Vueling out of Luton.
As I was trying to check in I noticed my return flight was showing as coming home 2 days later. It turns out that due to a strike, all flights on my initial return day were cancelled.
I had to cancel my trip because of this.
Vueling have agreed to pay £250 compensation, and I've had my tickets refunded. But they have said they aren't liable for my hotel costs which I had to cancel. does anyone know if this is correct? I assumed that they would be liable for all my expenses.
any advice gratefully received.
Cheers,
Kev

isplumm

nope - that is what travel insurance is for ....

Mark

Shiggaddi

A few weeks ago I was delayed at Bristol airport in which I had a flight to Brussels to catch a connecting flight to Chicago. Upon arriving at Bristol, I saw the flight was delayed by 4 hours which would have meant missing the Chicago flight.

After making phone calls to Brussels Airlines (who were selling the ticket operated by BMI), I suggested I could be rerouted on KLM which had a few seats available and could get me to Chicago roughly the same time. When enquiring at the BMI check in, we agreed the best course of action was not to check in my baggage incase a rerouting was arranged, as this was the only flight to Chicago that day.

In the end, an e-mail was sent from either Brussels airlines or BMI to customer services in Bristol confirming that my BMI flight, and United flight are now cancelled and I've been rerouted on a British Airways flight to Chicago and taxi transfer to Heathrow.

As far as my rights are concerned, I knew I was entitled to a duty of care (food and drink) as I ended up boarding the direct service just over 4 hours later than I should have boarded my original flight. In theory I would have been given a snack and drink for breakfast but instead bought some snacks and a drink at Heathrow.

When reading through the BMI website, I noticed this:

Right to Compensation

If you are involuntarily denied boarding or your flight is cancelled (provided an exception specified above does not apply), you shall receive compensation amounting to the following:
EUR 250 for all flights 1 500 km or less;
EUR 400 for all intra-Community flights of more than 1500 km, and all other flights between 1500 and 3500 km;
EUR 600 for all flights of 3,500 or more.
If bmi regional are able to offer you re-routing on an alternative flight to your final destination, the arrival time of which does not exceed the scheduled arrival time of the flight originally booked then bmi regional will reduce the amount of compensation above by 50%. Distances will be measured by the great circle route method.
By two hours, in respect of all flights of 1500 km or less; or
By three hours in respect to intra-Community flights of more than 1500 km and for all other flights between 1500 and 3500 km; or
By four hours, in respect of all flights of 3500km or more.

The way I read this is that I've been rerouted and my rerouted flight arrived with very little delay. I asked the reason for the delay, and it was because of a staff shortage. I was only reasonably expecting reimbursement of less than £10 for the overpriced food and drink at Heathrow, as I didn't have to pay for the taxi or BA flight.

Looking at the text, it looks like I'm entitled to either half the amount of 250 Euros (125) because of the first flight was less than 1500km, or half the amount of 600 Euros (300) because the total flight distance was over 3500km. The reason for the half was of course because I arrived near my original arrival time.

Before I contact BMI with my claim, does anyone know exactly what I should be asking for. Have I read it right that I should be getting half what I would be entitled to had I arrived over 4 hours late, simply because I was rerouted at airline expense, or a much fairer reimbursement of my snack at Heathrow.

Justice13075

what time should you have arrived on the scheduled flight and what time did you arrive on the rerouted flight

Shiggaddi

Justice13075 wrote: »

what time should you have arrived on the scheduled flight and what time did you arrive on the rerouted flight

It was only about 20 minutes later, so my initial thoughts were definitely got me there on time, and the flight delay claim would only work if delayed 4 hours due to the distance. However, there now seems to be this level of half the compensation you would normally get if the flight way delayed by 2/3/4 hours which is paid if you're rerouted.

unforeseen

The delay is calculated on landing time (doors open at destination) not take off time

jpsartre

Shiggaddi wrote: »

However, there now seems to be this level of half the compensation you would normally get if the flight way delayed by 2/3/4 hours which is paid if you're rerouted.

You are overlooking the relevant part of the regulation which is article 5.1.c.iii. Passengers are entitled to compensation when their flight is cancelled *unless*:


"they are informed of the cancellation less than seven days before the scheduled time of departure and are offered re-routing, allowing them to depart no more than one hour before the scheduled time of departure and to reach their final destination less than two hours after the scheduled time of arrival."


Looking at it from a commonsense perspective, it would kinda be taking the mickey if passengers could get 300 euros for a 20 minute delay or even no delay at all when rerouted.